


The Difference Between the Captain and the Man

by ChelseasDeadSmile



Series: Chelsea's One-Shots [20]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Classic Cars, How I See Jim In His Down Time, Kinda Leroy Jethro Gibbs-esque, M/M, Minecraft Reference If You Squint, OOC if you squint, Shore Leave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2015-11-24
Packaged: 2018-05-03 05:35:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5278682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChelseasDeadSmile/pseuds/ChelseasDeadSmile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not everyone knows what Jim does on his shore leave, but, when someone sees, it's not what they expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Difference Between the Captain and the Man

**Author's Note:**

> [How I Picture Jim](http://cdn02.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/headlines/2015/03/chris-pine-next-green-lantern.jpg)   
>  [1963 Cadillac deVille](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c6/43/74/c6437458a67916988657e37083d4e4cf.jpg)

James Kirk always presented himself to be that of a playboy, degenerate, rule breaker, but, the man he only was when no one was looking was, well, vastly different.  When he was alone, he wanted nothing but to work on a classic car (current project being a 1963 Cadillac deVille), enjoy the tunes of old Country music (circa 1990’s), and enjoy a cold beer in the heat of the Iowa sun.

That was his perfect escape.

Course, he couldn’t share any of that with his crew, because they all always looked up to him to be the “throw-himself-into-the-action” kind of Captain with no regards for his life, but all regards for theirs as he tried to save all of them from a certain and gruesome end.

So, that’s where he found himself after his first five-year mission into space enjoying his allotted time off (six months to be precise), with a gorgeous car coming together nicely, a sweating beer on one of the three benches framing the garage, and the door open to show the dusty outside world that Iowa was after the draught that caught it in 2226 that firmly left its mark on Riverside for the foreseeable future.

He took his red beanie off his head in order to scratch at his head as he cataloged all the parts he needed to order to ensure she gets done before the end of his six-month shore leave.  Being out of space left him restless, but, he wouldn’t give up his time off for no one after all the shit he and his crew have been through during the last five years of their lives.

The Narada Incident being one of those things he’d have rather lived without.

The Khan Attack also being one of the many aspects of his life he’d rather not have run into.  He didn’t find death at all as pleasing as he’d been told it’d be; it was cold, dark, and depressing.

Dust clouds were kicked up as a car came up the narrow drive to the farm house he, now, owned thanks to pushing and shoving his mother into giving it to him rather than a never-planetside Sam who would have sold it rather than having the remembrance of Frank spoiling his mind every time he came back.

Jim put his hand over his eyes in a makeshift visor to see who it was coming to visit him when he knew damn good and well that his team had spread to the four corners of the Universe in order to enjoy their down time while they had it. 

Sulu was in Japan visiting his grandparents for a few months before hopping back to San Francisco to visit his parents and continue teaching his fencing classes. 

Scotty was, well, off in Scotland visiting his family and, no doubt, also scheming in his own giant garage to see just how much he can upgrade the Enterprise to becoming the fastest ship in the Universe so they wouldn’t get caught up in another Admiral Marcus debacle that’d leave them crippled in more enemy territory.

Spock was on New Vulcan assisting his father and his older counterpart in repopulating the Vulcan race (much to Jim’s jealousy) by getting a new bondmate seeing as T’Pring, in the most logical way possible, told him to fuck off, she had another she was more interested in.

Chekov was in Russia taking a break in the best way he knew how – video games.  He was binge playing some roleplay game, eating junk food, and drinking things that’d make Leonard slap a diet on the poor kid.  Chekov, in all intents and purposes, was spoiled by the crew when they weren’t in a life or death situation that he could help in.

Uhura was on some far off planet learning the local language directly as opposed to learning it at the Federation building.  She was having more fun than every other person on his crew was no doubt about that since she said she’d bring them each a souvenir.

Lastly, Bones was spending two weeks with Joanna before his ex-wife starts taking out the broom in order to beat his sorry ass out of her house.  He’d, then, be going to several medical conferences to talk about the various diseases that Jim’s poor body caught, and how he was able to treat them before Jim caught his, second, untimely end at the hands of something or other.

This is why Jim liked Iowa – all dust and no way for his allergies to creep up on him like some small creeper ready to explode on him after barging into his play house.

Though, whoever was going up the drive, was, definitely, barging into his place house, so, he kept going about his business scratching the scruff of hair that had appeared on his chin over the last few weeks before placing his red beanie on the bench and grabbing his beer to take a swig of it, and, lastly, getting back under the hood of the car in order to let whoever was coming get the sense that he was busy with something more important than their chatter.

The hoover car stopped a foot from the garage before landing down on the ground, and then its passengers getting out.  He’d say, from the steps he heard, there were three official type of people walking up to him, and he planned to ignore them until they addressed, him, and not the other way around.

Call him childish, but he was on shore leave and he was damn well going to take every minute of it that he could get.

“Captain James Tiberius Kirk, sir” one of the three Lieutenant’s behind him said having, seemingly, gotten impatient with him ignoring them.  “That’s my name Lieutenant don’t wear it out” Jim responded as he used the wrench in his hand to tighten a nut attached to the Cadillac’s engine.

“We are here with orders for you to return to Starfleet” the same Lieutenant told him waiting for Jim to turn around, but, much to his annoyance, Jim kept his back to them.  “Who’s orders are they from?” Jim asked him as he lifted himself from the inside of the car still pointedly ignoring the three behind him as he goes to wipe his hands off on one of his rags before slinging it onto his dirty white t-shirt that he usually wore under his uniform, but, he needed a shirt to wear and they were the only clean ones around.

“Admiral Bennett, he says he needs to cut your shore leave early for another five-year mission” the Lieutenant informed him.  “You can tell Admiral Bennett that I’ve thought long and hard on his orders and have rejected them seeing as I am busy bringing a piece of art back from the grave” Jim told him not even looking at them until he’s taken a swig of his beer.

He then cut his eyes over to them seeing a woman in the middle of them, she was, about, 5’6, long brown hair, gorgeous in every way, but, he wasn’t looking for a fling.  “He sure tried everything to get me going, didn’t he?” he commented as he looked over at them.  He then walked toward them and stopped in front of her before dismissing her in the way he always did when he didn’t feel like wearing his Captain persona.

He walked away from the three, “Dismissed” he told them as he drummed on the inside of the car with two screwdrivers to only a song he could hear.  “But, sir, Admiral Bennett has given your whole crew orders” the female Lieutenant told him hoping that’d sway him, but, of course, when it’s his down time, it didn’t at all.  “Then I’ll make a ship wide comm’s call to my entire crew to tell them I’ve denied the orders – they all deserve their rest and relaxation just as much as the next man and woman” Jim told her as he thought on what he could do at that moment.

Making up his mind, he got his creeper before pressing the button on the right side of the garage in order to make the lifter bring up the car just enough for him to fit under, as, the size of his garage left the lifters unable to go to their full height even though they were handy when he needed to get under a car.

“But sir…“ the first Lieutenant who spoke was cut off by Jim firmly saying, “Dismissed.  Relay my message to Admiral Bennett”.  “Yes, sir” the female Lieutenant said as they each gave him a salute before returning to their car and left Jim to fixing up his car.

“Now, let’s see what’s to fix under here” Jim said in a lighter tone of voice now that the three were gone.

You see, that’s the difference between the Captain and the man – the Captain is nothing more than a shirt and title compared to the man.  The man is who Jim Kirk is when no one is looking, and Jim would rather keep it that way.


End file.
